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List the Variables Relating to Employee Behavior

Presented To
Perry Barton
Course Number 41930 & Team Project MGMT 2215

By
Lidia A. Smith

Date
30 March 2015

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In the workplace, one may often wonder why does an employee do what he or she does
and does this influence the behavior of the employee? In todays workplace like no other there
are many differences in having an employee. Due to the vast technologies and different
industries of employment, employees have the capability to apply to the organization of his or
her choice and make an impression on the company with his or her first initial interview.
Once the employee is hired and comes through the front door as an employee this is
another opportunity of identifying themselves because normally in the initial interview and being
in a newly hired position one may see a very different side from the initial interview. This is why
most often the potential employer will give the potential candidates a list of behavioral questions
to see how he or she will respond to the initial question or scenario.
Skillings speaks about behavioral questions from an employers perspective stating,
Behavioral interview questions are a big part of most job interviews. Employers and hiring
managers use behavior scenario type questions in order to make an assessment and get an idea of
the applicants knowledge, skills and competencies needed for the job (1). When an employee is
a potential candidate for a position and is hired for the position within the organization the
employees behavior is then displayed by variables that can either make the employee look like a
positive citizen within society or an employee may display a negative impact within the
organization.
In the workplace employers look at an employees behavior in five theological concepts;
work style, dress and appearance, work place atmosphere and communication (Newton 1).
Employers believe that behavior plays in an organization because some organization can
encourage social interaction while others believe its good to have co-workers and friends at the
same time within the workplace (Newton 1). Work style plays a role within the organization and
an employees behavior because of the tasks assigned based on individual and group assignments
(Newton 2).
There have often been discussions on the dress and appearance at work for employees
because some employers believe if an employee is more comfortable at work they will be happy
and will become more productive. Other employers believe that if an employee dresses up this is
the overall presentation for the organization (Newton 2). Many organizations believe if an
employee is in a nice workplace atmosphere with leisure and relaxation this will help his or her
work flow and ideas (Newton 3). While other organizations believe employees work well in
cubicles or large spaces (Newton 3).
Communication which will be discussed further plays a huge role in an organization and
employee behavior because in the workplace there are emails, phone calls, instant messaging and
other online forums with little interaction of voice to voice communication between an employee
and team members (Newton 3). This is why variables such as age, sex, values, morals, work
ethics, communication, personality, integrity, interpersonal skills plays a different role for an
employee and an employee reacts to different situations and scenarios different based on their
behavior or attitude within the workplace. This is why its important to understand what
employee behavior is and how the behavior of the employee can effect working within an
organization.

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McKinney describes employee behavior as, Employees with the proper behavior are an
asset to an organization. Employees who exhibit poor behavior generally require a lot of the
organization's time and effort to address and correct each issue. Good managers work with their
employees coaching them on good behavior habits (1). Employee behavior depending on the
employee can create good positive energy in the team environment or can bring negative tension
into the workplace.
Any type of behavior in the workplace has to be closely examined and monitored as this
can affect morale and relationships with team members, higher level leadership and stakeholders.
In this paper, one will be able to learn more about the variables relating to employee behavior
through the employees work ethics, communication, and interpersonal skills, technology and
data usage. One should be able to gain more insight as to why an employee reacts in certain
behaviors and how the variables make the interaction different in the workplace.
In the workplace the only thing that makes an employee stand out is his or her work
ethics and what they bring to a team concept environment. An employee should ask themselves
the question, am I doing the right thing or is it definitely wrong? In the workplace there are many
incidents that go on and are covered up and employers do not do anything about it until
something happens or the information gets out in social media or other forums. In order for a
company to become profitable the company needs the employee to have a good work ethic and
character (Amico 1).
For example, Mark Hurd former CEO of Hewlett-Packard which was a national
workplace ethics case had failed the organization by having a personal relationship with another
employee who was a contractor that resulted from having a conflict of interest and abused
providing accurate expense records and misuse of the companies resources (Heathfied 1).
Companies are creating new and revised policies every day because employees are not being
trustworthy by his or her actions. As an employee when does one determine if an action is right
or wrong? When something already occurred or when the action does not benefit his or her
cause?
An employees integrity plays a huge role in employee behavior because this provides
courage to the employee to do the right thing despite what others are saying (Paige 2). For
example, if an employee is working in a sales department providing service on a product to
customers the company is assuming the employee is representing the company with integrity by
presenting the information to the customer truthful as much as possible for the sale of the product
(Paige 2). If an employee did not display those actions, the employee would more than likely
receive feedback from his or her manager, receiving coaching and or mentoring and if displaying
a bad performance or misrepresenting the employee may receive a written warning or face a
potential job loss.
As citizens working in todays society how do we determine if we are practicing good
employee behavior? Remember the golden rule, Do unto others as you would like them do unto
you (Puka 1). If every employee was to look out for another employee or a group of employees
depending on the level there may be an honesty system rather than relying on company
procedures and employment laws. Its said, that if we apply the concept of the golden rule in
the workplace this would decrease bullying, harassment and discrimination because people
wouldnt be for themselves rather for the organization (Yamada 1).

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In a recent study conducted based on work ethics and employees in the workplace the
study was to determine to see how employee find ways to abuse and misuse the following
examples; an employee calls in sick to their manager or supervisor mentioning that they do not
feel well and that they need time off but decided to go out with friends, shopping, etc., or an
employee decides to place his or her dirty dishes in the sink while no one is around thinking that
another employee will wash them, or an employee that spends several hours a day using the
work computer for personal time to pay bills, shop, do online banking, read the news, check
personal emails and an employee that takes office supplies from work home because the
employee feels entitled that the company owes them for his or her service of the amount of hours
worked (Heathfield 2).
All of these examples are common in the workplace and sometimes an employer may
give employees a small privilege for example, to use the internet during lunches. If an employee
decides one day to use the internet for his or her lunch break and then another week comes along
and they have no tasks, duties or responsibilities assigned to him or her and use the internet all
day, this is a sign of misusing the companies resources. Instead of misusing the companys
resources, ask a team member, How can I help you today? This is where the golden rule
comes in and makes the workplace more positive for the employee and the others.
How has work ethics changed since the 1930s? Schawbel wrote an article titled,
Reviving Work Ethic in America believing that the American work ethic is a thing of the past
and that work ethics has changed from the 1930s, 1960s and even today and the terms such as
unmotivated, disloyal, disengaged and entitled as common words used today in describing
employees in the workplace (Schawbel 1). Even the use of technology devices which provide a
source of entertainment, fun and engagement is taking some of the concepts away when learning
good work habits (Schawbel 2). For example, before technology such as the invention of the cell
phones, computers and other electronics many employees had to have people skills to
communicate, learn how to type on a type writer and write and learn how to engage with others.
With there being a generation gap with communication between technology and age,
employee behavior plays a huge role in communication because todays society is used to doing
everything with a technology device whereas, in some smaller places in the United States and
years ago people still believe in calling employees within the office or across demographics and
having voice to voice interaction to identify problems, solutions and determining resources. The
newer generation will have to learn some of the skills that were embedded in employees from his
or her early years of employment. In a recent study, the Millennials believe that their generation
is unique and different and does not identify with having a work ethic (Schawbel 3). An
employees behavior in the workplace regardless of what generation he or she identifies with is
important to understand because the way tasks and responsibilities would be handled and
managed are very differently.
How can an employees behavior affect confidentiality and privacy practices in the
workplace? Many organizations have confidentiality documents such as technology software,
accounting, personnel documents, budgeting, cut backs, and etc. An employer releases
information to an employee depending on position because the organization believes that they
can trust the employee with this information to keep private (Paige 1).

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In a large amount of organizations all the use of confidential and privacy practices are
involved on the companys software. Cisco believes in order for an employee to keep
information confidential and private the employee should consider, To reduce data leakage,
businesses must integrate security into the corporate culture and consistently evaluate the risks of
every interaction with networks, devices, applications, data, and of course, other users (1). If an
employee is working in a confidentiality setting with a lot of data or personal company
information the company will normally provide a Confidentiality and Privacy agreement
before accessing personal account information.
Cisco recently conducted a survey using 100 Information Technology (IT) professionals
and 2,000 respondents by observing how an employees behavior misuses conduct at work in
which the findings included; 18% of employees shared their passwords with other co-workers
where China, India and Italy had a higher risk of personal information sharing, 46% of
employees admitted to transferring work documents on personal computers when working from
home, 39% of the IT professionals surveying had a problem with employee accessing
unauthorized companies data and believed 70% of using authorized programs resulted in data
loss within the company (Cisco 2).
Employees within the workplace have to be trusted with integrity and his or her employee
behavior has to be displayed as if he or she is there for the overall of the organization. Many
employees within the United States and around the world are representing employee behavior as
having a need to increase employee security and having to learn how and understand the use of
security on a company device (Cisco 3). Many employees even find that what he or she does on
the computer during work hours is no ones business including his or her employer (Cisco 3).
Employers have to constantly change processes and procedures around with technology devices
at work because employees are not always using the companys devices for work purposes.
If an employee believes that he or she can do whatever they want to do on a company
computer or technology device the employee should look at his or her Human Resource (HR)
policy and procedures. Many employers believe although technology is advanced and many
employees know how to use them they still involve Human Resource (HR) trainings, coaching
sessions, policies and procedure paperwork, and even tutorials on work ethics on doing what is
right and wrong. Sometimes an employee can feel entitled and when they do not have that
privilege a manager or supervisor can then see the employees behavior change depending on the
situation or outcome of the problem.
There are two ways an employee can display his or her behavior based on the situation or
problem either through his or her behavior or attitude. In a workplace, many employers prefer
employees to be happy and engaged in their work. When the employee is not engaged nor has a
free mind at work the employee can cause disruption, lower morale within the workplace and
change the atmosphere in the company (Higuera 1). There is a clear difference in attitude when
an employee displays a variable of behavior.
An employee that is basing his or her emotions on attitude is relying on his or her inward
feelings towards themselves, co-workers and his or her manager or supervisor (Higuera 1). When
an employee uses the variable of displaying his or her behavior they are defining this as the way
he or she responds to another individual in the workplace (Higuera 2). For example, if an
employee ask his or her manager a question and the manager does not respond or the employee

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does not give his or her manager time to work on the problem or solution, he or she may overstep
the boundaries and contact the Vice President or CEO of the company, this is an example of the
employee acting out towards his or her emotional behavior.
When an employee starts to act displaying a negative impact of emotion this could cause
the employee to want to call out of work, lower morale, not being involved or alert on getting
assignments and tasks completed, has a lack of disrespect for those around him or her and has
outbursts or negative comments that could result in employee discipline through coaching,
mentoring or training (Higuera 3). It is important that as an employee that each employee learns
each of his or her team members boundaries in the workplace. The workplace is supposed to be a
time for the employee to use his or her job skills to advance themselves in the workplace and
learn and grow within the company.
When an employee uses these behaviors and attitudes in the workplace, employees that
are currently there try to avoid negative interaction and try to avoid confrontation. In the
workplace employees also look for consistency (Boundless 1). Managers and supervisors should
come together and create an organizational behavior strategy if he or she finds out that there is
some inconsistency in the workplace. Another concept that is displayed, that is very rarely
mentioned is diversity within the workplace (Boundless 2).
Employers should consider how do employees positively come together and monitor that
employees may have some disagreements based not solely on attitudes and behaviors as a team
but identify where the employees roots when it comes to working on a diverse environment and
the barriers that could affect the team structure. This could include the employees background
and his or her upbringing from the stages of childhood to adulthood. When an employee is a
child and him or her grows into an adult the experiences in the past have an impact on the
employee towards the present and the future in the workplace with interactions with co-workers
and his or her manager (Interpersonal Intelligence 1).
When an employee is working in a workplace his or her relationship with their manager
becomes a superior-subordinate relationship such as like a mother and father having a
relationship with a child (Interpersonal Intelligence 1). For example, if someone had a loving
relationship with one or both parents then the employee may take the same relationship to the
workplace looking for caring, loving and support. If an employee was never supported as a child
from either parent or the parent was disengaged the employee may try to compare his or her
relationship with that of his or her manager.
In researching relationships compared to co-workers and siblings it is mentioned that first
born children prefer a more hierarchical structure whereas, a an employee that may have had
more than one sister or brother looks for that bond of closeness or rivalry depending on the
relationship (Interpersonal Intelligence 1). For example, a family that is very close knit and
spends time together often, the employee may look for a similar relationship at work with having
a group of co-workers around them for comfort. Just as growing up and a child has sibling
rivalry with another sister or brother this relationship is no different in the workplace when an
employee wants to become distrusting, worthy and negative with an alternative motive
(Interpersonal Intelligence 2).

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If an employee presents themselves having family values, achievement, accomplishments

or different beliefs this is often taught by parents within the home that raise the family to believe,
think and act a certain type of way which can be displayed in the workplace (Interpersonal
Intelligence 3). For example, when someone is a child growing up and a group of kids say they
will never become someone or that their appearance is this or a similar circumstance this strives
the inner child to prove that person wrong that did not show respect or concern for that
individual. Employees respond to behavior as they have seen it, been around it and even try to
change what they not do not want to be involved, or around when it comes to protecting
themselves and their families.
In having a working relationship with an employee or a group of employees its important
to understand the differences between a male and female interaction involving employee
behavior because each gender acts and presents his or her gender very different in the workplace.
While working in the workplace with both genders male and female is unique as the
communication, behavior and interaction is very different. Sometimes employees compare past
personal relationships to employees in the workplace which can cause a different interaction or
situation for an employee. For example, if an employee had to delegate responsibilities and
duties from a female perspective the employee may have a soft approach, use a phrase or tag line
or make a suggestion because a female genders culture is to maintain peace in relationships
(Thiedrman 1). Whereas, if a supervisor or employee was a male his approach would be more
direct and to the point (Thierderman 1). From both genders this is to not look down upon a
gender because this is the way he or she many have learned to communicate.
One may also see the working relationship between male and female interaction
involving employee behavior. For example, an employee who has a female supervisor that
communicates less and sets the demands and expectations is not be questioned if they are
capable to perform in the role. One would need to take into account the supervisors personality
traits, communication style, the way they were raised, family values, etc. Another difference an
employee can find through employee behavior between genders is asking questions.
As a female gender, an employee usually asks more questions to gather information first
on what is going on and second to keep asking more questions to stay engaged in the
conversation (Thierderman 1). When asking a male gender employee questions, the male gender
usually just asks very few questions because they just want to gather information and for one
sole purpose (Thierderman 1). For instance if there was a departmental meeting in the workplace,
and a department has a mix of both genders the female gender employees might become more
engaged than the male gender employees.
The most difficult communication barrier with male gender and female gender employees
in communicating is overcoming misunderstands and misinterpretations in employee behavior.
When situations arise in the workplace and there is a misunderstanding or misinterpretation
employees can become disruptive not only with each other but his or her work, hinder
opportunities for advancement and growth and respect and integrity for the employee can be
derailed (Thierderman 2). This is because the loyalty, integrity, honesty and respect have been
distant due to differences based on the employees behavior and the willingness to move forward
with their working relationship in the workplace.

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When either gender makes assumptions about what he or she believes if the information
is not communicated properly either employee may or may not feel comfortable (Thierderman
3). It is important that when communicating to try to be mindful of the conversation, topic and
ideas that are being presented. Employees should not walk around with a lack of confidence,
show a sign of weakness or fear due to a lack of communication when communicating with
another employee or of the same gender in the workplace (Thierderman 3). Employees should
show a concern when a workplace conflict or disagreement arises and try and resolve the matter
with the employee to the best of his or her ability.
If an employee wanted to work on a variable that affected employee behavior how can he
or she make an impact on the organization? When employers are looking for potential candidates
for positions and trying to do the on-boarding process the employer can hire people with the right
attitudes and values (ERC 1). An employee can determine if the candidate is the right fit for the
organization by interviewing, asking behavioral questions, conducting assessments, personality
traits and role playing. This will ensure the employer can see the values, personality traits and
what the employee would bring to the organization.
An employee can also communicate the behavior that he or she wants others to see and
be observant of the behavior (ERC 1). For example, an employee that says he or she wants to see
consistency, should display this by making sure through the tasks, duties and responsibilities at
hand that the attitude and behavior presented is consistent at least majority of the time. An
employee can also be observant and pay attention to how he or she is handling or communicating
issues by jotting down what went well and what he or she may, or could have done differently.
An employee can also work on his or her behavior by inspiring others around them (ERC
2). Employees are the face of the organization and within the company as a team, employees
share personal experiences, stories and achievements with one another. Instead of tearing down
one another, employees can break down barriers by communicating them and inspiring others
through motivation techniques. When people are inspired in the workplace they become
encouraged, support and believe that someone cares about him or her as an individual and not
just an employee ID number (ERC 2).
If an employee believes that they have a problem and needs help there are many outlets
within the organization that can assist them with employee behavior such as Human Resources,
support groups, hotlines within the companies resources and sometimes companies hire an inside
person to become a mediator for employee relations. Employees should know what are their
strengths and weakness and discover how to manage them based on their different variables
within employee behavior. An employee should never feel alone because if the problem is not
addressed this can create a larger problem for not only the employee but also other employees
affected.
In conclusion, the variables that involve employee behavior are different for each
individual and some are more observant and seen then others. Employers can when hiring make
sure as an organization they are hiring the right individual for the position. Employee behavior
focuses on two things attitude and behavior. When an organization sees an employee as disloyal
and distrusted the overall relationship is affected and employees should know that the
organization sets policies and expectations for a reason.

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Its important for employees to foster positive relationships within the organization
because this benefits a win-win situation for both the employer and also the team dynamics
within the workplace. Employees should learn to not always react first. If there is a problem try
to work the problem out first by going to the direct supervisor and then if the situation needs to
be mediated then follow the course of action. In working in Corporate America or any other
industry one must remember that one may have a name badge that has his or her name written or
typed in, but we are still human.
Even the best CEOs and higher level leadership doesnt do everything right, but in an
organization everyone should hold themselves accountable. When using data technology or a
device an employee should know that the information shared through either device belongs to the
organization and not to the employee. If an employee wants to better themselves they can learn
how to have integrity and good work ethics because organizations want employees that are
honest, trustworthy and believe in the companys vision and objectives.
Employees should understand that when displaying employee behavior to look at the
relationships that the other employee has in his or her life when communicating, because this can
bring out a different side of an employee through behavior and attitude. Employees should also
be aware of communicating to both female and male genders in the workplace. Female gender
employees tend to focus on keeping peace, staying engaged and letting the other person know
that someone cares about them. Male gender employees are more involved in getting started, to
the point, and asking questions to gather more information.
Although the workplace is not like it once was in the 1930s and people are mentioning
work ethics from past years, its important to understand that a person cannot make a pie with
old ingredients. Today is a different day and as a society we need to strive to make this
innovative technology world a better place to not only work in but to challenge ourselves to
become better leaders, creators, and innovators in our society.

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